Bottle-capping machine



May 29, 1928. 1,671,804

c. A. ALEXANDERSON BOTTLE CAPPI NG MACHINE Filed June 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR (fiar/arfl 14] arande rmm ATTORNEYS i May 29, 1928; 137L804 V C. A. ALEXANDERSON BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed June 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 35 55' IN V EMT OR (Zar/ew A Alcramlermm BY 5mm M A TTORNE Y5 May 2911928; 1,671,804 C. A. ALEXANl DERSON BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed June l923 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N VEN TOR (flair/w 14 fllarazzderwon BY Amww MATfORNEYS May 29, 1928.

1,671,804 C. A. ALEXANDERSON BOTTLE GQPPING MACHINE Filed June '7, 1925 Sheets-Sheet 4 III II I H]! HI 7 L I 120 5-2. INVENTOR .1... (Zar/c'wiyramZem-pn v BY uh. m m .77

.Fig. 4.

Patented May 29, 1928 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

onnnms A. ALEXANDERSON; OFBROOKLYN, new Yonx, ABSIGNOB Tomamm w. names, on NEW YORK. N. Y; EMMA W; DURKEE, HELEN w. n. MILEEAM, AND

GUARANTY TRUST COMPANY OF NEW y w. DURKEE, DECEASED. i

YORK; ADMINISTRATOR'S OF SAID EUGENE y-BOTTLE-CAPBING lineman Application file-d rm '7,

This invention relates to bottle capping apparatus, and inore particularly to means for applying screwtl1re aded caps to bottles provided with threaded necks. g

The invention consists essentially in pro} viding a plurality of spaced cylindrical holders for the capping mechanism, with means for moving such holders ina "circle over a turntable upon which the: bottles are carried, and means for continuously rotating such cappingmechanism within the holders during their circular movementso thatthe threaded caps are picked up at a predeten mined point, and afterwards screwed upon the threaded necks of the bottles, the movement of the holders being atthe same" speed as that of the turntable so that the cap carrying devices are always in aligi'iment with a bottle at the time a cap is to be attached thereto. i Oneobject ofthe invention to provide for the feeding of the caps one at a time at proper intervals, and a turf-henobject is to provide means whereby no cap will be fed" unless a bottle is being carried forward to the turntable. Vith these general Ob]@CtS inview the invention consists in the combination, details of construction and arrangementof parts which are hereinafter particularly described. In the accompanying drawings; H Figure 1 is a front "elevation t the machine, partly in section.

Fig. 2 is anelevation side of the machine. i Fig. 3 is a top view of the m n rhine parts being broken away and'thevertical shaftand hub of the stationary rack being in section;

at the right hand Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one of the holders for the capping mechanism in seotion, and the means for operating such mech anism when picking up a cap. g g

Fig. 5 is a detail View of such 'niecl' anism enlarged taken on the broken line 5 =5 of Fig. 7 is a sectional view line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a detail view in enlarged size Fig. 6 is a side View ofthe same taken on 1923] Serial No. 848,886

lookinwat the machinefrom the pointin dieated by. the broken line 8-8, Fig. 3,1illus trating the means for operating the capping mechanism when a cap is screwed'upon the top of abottle. i

Fig. 9 is a. sectional view onthe broken line'9 9 of Fig. 8. l y l F'g. 10 is a top view showing in detail the n iechanism for pushing the bottles from the feed belt onto the turntable, and for holding andcarrying forward a cap after it has passes down the inclined chute, and

Fig. 11 is a side view of the same. Similar reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the/several viewsl Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a column supporting the stationary bed 11, and frame 12 of the machine. A rotary vertical shaft 13, has itslower end seated in, a circular recess in the bedll,

as shown in broken lines Fig. Land is sup-.

ported above the bed in a -bearing14. fixed to the frame of themac-hine. The said recess in the bed is preferably enlarged atits top for the purpose hereafter mentioned. f lfidenotes acircular rack horizontally po- .sitioned rovided with spaced arms 16, ex-

tending rom a central hub 17 fixed to the bearing block 14, whereby. the rack is held stationary. Hubs 18 mafia, are secured to the vertical shaft 13in any suitable manner,

such as by akey 20, shown in. broken lines in Fig. 1. y

Attached to the hub 18 andpro'ecting horizontally therefrom are a plurality 'of equally spaced curved arms 21. One end of each ofthese arms is securely. fixed a). the hub 18 by bolts 22,. or other suitable means. The other or free end of each arm carries a tubular holder 23, forthe capping mecha ni'sm hereinafter described.

These holders are preferably made integral with the armsfbutmay be separate members, and secured to the arms in any suitable manner. U

24 indicates a turntable integral with the hub 19, whereby it is rotated horizontally by the vertical shaft 13, and uniformly with the arms 21.. f

Thehub. 19. is preferably provided. on its bottom with an ,a nnular boss 19" surroundi ing the central opening in the hub. This boss being seated in the enlargement of the recess in he bed as shown in broken lines opposite end of the shaft 27 as'sho'wn in Figs. 2 and 3.

The hubs 18 and 19 being fixed to the vertical shaft 13, it will be seen that the arms 21 carrying the tubular holders 23, and the turn table 24, will be rotated simultaneously and at the same speed when the vertical shaft is rotated by means of the bevel gears 25 and 26 during the revolution of the horizontal shaft 27.

A sprocket wheel 30 is fixed upon the shaft 27 and another sprocket wheel 31 of smaller diameter is fixed upon a stub shaft 32 supported 'in bearings in a bracket 33 upon the frame 12. A sprocket chain 34 extends over these wheels '30 and 31.

The stub shaft 32 carries a sprocket 32' which connects with sprockets 32 mounted on the shaft 38 by a chain 32 Fixed to the shaft 38 is a worm 38 meshing with a worm gear 38 upon a shaft which drives a. ulley 39. A belt 40' extends over the pu ley 39 and over idlers 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45 upon shafts 46, 47, 48, 4'9 and 50, supported in bearings upon brackets 51and 52 fixed to the frame of the machine as shown in Fig. 2.

The caps 53 are fed by hand onto the belt 40, which travels between side rails 54 which are curved towards the turn table 24 at approximately its cqter, whereby the caps are conveyed into the nclined chute 55, and fall by gravity upon the platform 56. supported by the upright 57 attached to the frame of the machine. The lowermost cap is caught and held by acurved finger 58, secured to a bracket 59'attached to the frame by screws 60, or other suitable means.

61 indicates an endless conveyorfor the bottles-62.

The bottles are placed by hand upon this conveyor at the front of the machine and carried forward by it to the point at which they" are pushed off upon the turn table 24, by the mechanism hereafter described. This conveyor may be of any suitable construction, but I refer to employ a chain belt carrying a p urality of plates 63 hinged together, traveling between side rails 64 and 65, the rail 65, being removed between the points at which the bottles are pushed upon the turn table and that at which the are delivered therefrom, the'ends of sai rail being curved at subh points to guide the bottles towards and from the turn table at the res tive points.

' he conveyor 61 passes over sprocket wheels 65' fixed to shafts 69, supported in bearings upon brackets 71 timed to the frame of the machine, and may be driven by any suitable means. In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have illustrated asprmcketMhwl 6S fixed to a shaft rotated by a chain belt 66 which passes over the sprocket 68 and over the sprocket wheel 67 which is fixed to the shaft 35. The sprocket 68 is located beyond the conveyor, and the shaft 70 extends within the conveyor belt and at this point there is fixed a drive sprocket wheel 68' which engages the links on the inner side ofthe belt 61, and thus drives the conveyor. This drive sprocket being of the same size as the iprocket 68, is not shown in Fig. '2 of the rawin as it would cover the sprocket ,68, and o scure the means for rotating the shaft 70. i

A shield or guard 72 is supported upon the frame 12, adjacent the periphery of the turn table 24 at the point where the bottles are pushed from the conveyor 61 upon the turntable to prevent any ossibility of the bottles beingv thrown 'otf force.

' Bolted or otherwise fixed to the top of the turntable 24, adjacent its periphery are a plurality of equally spaced member-s73 each provided with an arm 74 forked at its upper end which members en" ge the bottles after the have been conveyed to the turntable,

by centrifugal an hold them in the desired spaced relation while they are upon the turntable.

' Slidably mounted upon the platform 56 is a semi-circular plate 75 providedwith two curved longitudinal slots 76 and 77, spaced at a predetermined distance apart into which project pins 78 and 7 9 fixed to the platform 56. The periphery of this plate 75' is provided at a predetermined )oint with teeth 80, and secured to the periphery of the plate 75 by screws 81, or other suitable means at a predetermined point from said teeth is an arm 82, somewhat curved on one side, which when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 3 and, 10 is slightly below and adjacent the back of the curved spring finger 58 by which one of the caps 53 is at that time being held.

A segment gear 83 provided with a toothed hub 84 pivoted at 85, to the platform 56 meshes with the teeth 80 on the plate75r v i A disk 86 rests upon the top of the plat form 56 to which it is secured in any suitable manner, and is provided with a central circular opening registering with a like opening in the platform.

A broad flat arm 87 rests upon the disk 86 and is provided with a spindle 88 which the hub 89 of a depending arm 90 atthe lower end ofwhich there is a rightangle arm 91, with a projecting lug 92. The ends 1 of the flat arm 87 are rounded, and the projecting end is provided with teeth 87' which mesh with the teeth on the hub'84 of the segment-gear 83. I

A spiral spring 93is attached at one end to the lug 92, andat its other end to a lug 94 fixed to the frameofthe machine; A link 95 is pivotally connected at one end to the end of the arm 91, its other endbeing pivotally connected to the end of one arm of a bell crank 96 and to one end of a link.

96and links 97 and 102, which are operated intermittently by the spaced cams 114 upon 97 by a pivot pin 98. v i

The two arms of the bell crank lever i9 6 are integral with a ccntral'hub, one arm extending fromthe top of the hub and the other arm from the-lower end of the hub so that the'upper arm passes overthe top of a part 99 of the frame while the lower arm passes beneath the part 99 as shown in Fig. 11.

lveyor 61 andis slidfl y supported at 1pm;

determined height abovethe same in a hearing 107, at one endof a bracket 108. its other end being secured to the frameot the machine. Upon one end of the rod 106 isa semicircular member 109 which faces the bottles as they are carried forward uponthe conveyor 61.. pivotally. connected to one endot alink 110 pivoted at 111, to the ,frame, and curved on one sidecorrcspondingly with the curva ture of the arm 105 'carried by the push rod'104. Upon the curved sideflotthe link 110. there i a catch 112 which normally project'sover the inner end of thecurved arm 105, being 'retainedin. suchposition by a spiral spring 113 one end of which is se cured to the outer end of the link110,i its other end being connected to the frameof the machine. 7 I

"As the bottles 62 are carried forward upon the conveyor 61, the foremost bottle contacts A fulcrum pin 100 passes through an opening in the hen the lower end of the pin 100 passing into an opening The other end of therod 106*is 106 forcing the rod backward which turns the link 1 10 on its pivot pin 111i againstthe tension of thespring 113, releasing the catch 112 from theeurved arm 105, whereby the push rod 104 is free to turn uponthe pivot 103, contacting with the foremost bottie and pushing it from the conveyor 61 onto the turntable 24 during which movement of the push rod, the sprlng 113 is prevented from contracting by the curved arm 105, being carried in front ofthe catch 112. This movement of the push rod occurs simulta neously with the operation of the segment gear 83, and; at the time one of the caps 53 has dropped into engagement with the spring finger 58, all of which are efiected through' -the medium ofthe link95, lever the periphery of the turntable contactin with the roll 1010on the end ofthe cran lever964 l When one ofthe elevations on the cam 114 pass'esofi the 'roll' 101, the sprin 93 is free to contract' thereby drawing t e arm 91 forwardfiwher'eby theflat arm 87 is given a partial rotation, 'itsteeth 87' engaging the teeth on the hub 840i the segment gear 83 gives such segment a movementin the opposite direction while the teeth onits, periphery ineshingwith the teeth 80, on the plate 75, willcarry said plate inthe same direction. This movement of the plate 75 draws the curved arm 82 closely beneath the springfinger 58 when it contacts with the cap at that time held by said finger, releas ing the cap therefrom, andcarrying italong upon the platform 56 into aposition to be picked upbythe mechanism hereinafter at,

scribed; 1

At the time the pusher 82 reaches its extreme forward movement the next elevation on the cam 11 1 contacts with and passes over the roll- 1.01. depressing the same whereby the spring 93 is expanded returning the arts to their initial positions or that shown in Figs.,3 and 10;

{A diagonally arranged bar 115 is pivoted at or near its center to a lug 116. secured to theunder side of the platform 56. This bar 115 is provided atone endwith avertical pin 117, and at'its other end with another vertical projection or pin 118. These pins project through holes inthe platform rovidedfor that purpose. When 'one of the caps has been released from the finger 58, and carried forward under the picking up mechanism by the arm 82, as above described, the" pin 118" at one end of the bar 115 is depressed by the flange 119 of the gages the next cap passing down'the inclined with the semi-circular end 109 of the rodchute 55 preventingthefurther movement III) m strip 120. to which the arm 82 is secured} of suchcap until released, which is-done when the flange 119 oil the top of the pin 118 on the returnrnovement of the parts, by the action of-the spring 121 upon that end of the bar 115. This islbest illustrated i Figsxfi and fi of the drawings. a I

It will be seen from the foregoing description that unless the catch 112 is released, thepush bar 104 and segmentgear 83 will remain stationary in the positions'shown in Fig; 10, and that thecatch is only released when a bottle is being carried forward upon the conveyor 61, consequently unless a bottle is beingthus conveyed no cap' will be re: leased from the finger 58 by which it is held during such inaction of the segment gear. Each of the tubular holders 23 carries the cappinginechani'sm next described.

An upright shaft 122 arranged in: the upperpart of the holder and projects a predctermineddistance above-the top of the holder, this projecting portion being pro videdvwith longitudinal teeth 123. which medi with theteeth on the circular stationary rack 15. The lower portion ofthis shaft pinspassing through threaded-openings in the bushing 124 and shaft 122; and being provided with screw threads 130.

wA-ting 131 surrounds the spindle 1261:- low said slots 128. anda sleeve 132. having a flange133. which is fixed to the holder 23, surrounds. the plunger at. the bottom of the holder. p

A coiled spring 134 surrounds the plunger, one end being connected to the ring 131;,

and itslower end seated upon the flange 1.33 v

of the sleeve 132... p y

The plunger-125 isprovided atits bottom with a threadediprojection .-135. which is screwed into a threaded-opening in the center of acircular plate 136. provided with a boss 13?; the bottom of the projection 135 rests upon another circular plate 138, in contact with the plate 136. Both of these plates are threaded on their peripheries and screw into the threadedupper end of a threat member This member is open both at top and bottom, but. is provided with an inturncd annular flange at, its bottom uponwhich is seated a cap gripping memher 141 divided into four segments, each segmenthaving in groove onits outer side to receive the spiral spring 142', the outer sides of resections-contacting with the interior surface of the member 139 above its flange 140.- it

In the top of the shaft 122-there is a rounded recess into which is placeda ball 143, which is held in said recess by aplate 144 fixed to the top ofthe shaft and having a central opening through which the ball projects. 145 denotes a cam bracket fixed to the frame of the machine which acts upon 4 surface of the bracket causing the shaft 122 to be depressed against the action of the springs 1-27 and 134, therebypressing down the plunger 125, which in turn presses dowm ward the throat member. 139 over the cap 53 which is then frictionallyengaed by the gripper 141 (see Fig. 4) and as he cam 145 continues to act in afurther depression of the shaft 122 whileitraveling under said cam thecap is more firmly grasped by the gripper and carried along thereby. The parts are returned to a normal position when the ball 143 passes under the upward- 1y inclined end of the bracket. 145, by the expansion of the springs 127 and. 134; the cap however still being held by the zgripper 141. The pins 129 acting in'the slots 128 of the spindle 1% limit the downward movement of the shaft 122.

It is important that when thecaps; are released from the curved finger 58 by the pusher 82, and carried forward thereby that their movement be uniform, particularly when they reach the point exactly in alignment with the picking up mechanism, and

to prevent any possible chance of any irregular movement of the caps when the pusher reaches its extreme forwa movement I' provide a strip 146 connected by coiled springs 147 and 148 to a bar 149; I

snpported'upon the frame of the machine in any suitable manner, which strip exerts arslight frictional-bearing upon the caps suflicient to prevent anydisplacement and t0 hold them in true alignment withthe mechi anism by which they are picked up.

With the mechanism within the holders 23. continuously rotating through the gearing at the top of the shafts 122. meshingvwith the stationary rack 15, and such holders traveling around the rank at the same speed as that of the turntable 24. which carries the bottles 62in regularly spaced order as before described, the'picked up caps are carried directly above and in exact alignment with the bottles, and are screwed over their necks by the means nextdescribed;

A bracket 150 fixed to the frameof the machine by bolts .151, or other suitable.

means, supports at oneenda housing 152 in which is located a plunger 153 provided with a presser foot 154 at its lower end exterior of the housing. This plunger is surf rounded within the housing by a coiled springlbfi, one end of which is seated upon an annular shoulder 156 inside thehousing with its upper end bearing against a collar 157. fixed to the plunger. The top of the plunger 153 is provided with a rounded head 158 having a threaded sten'r159 which is screwed into a threaded recess in the top of the plunger. l i V Another bracket 160 is fixed to the frame of the machine above the bracket 150.

link 161 is pivoted at one end to the lower end of the bracket 160, by a pivot pin 162, the free end of the link 161 carries a roll 163. This link 161 at its pivoted end is connected to an arm 164, the free end of which is provided with a rounded head 165 having a smooth stein 166, extending into an opening in the free end of the arm. Th s head 165 contacts at all times with the head 158 at the top of the plunger 153. I

A cam167 fixed to the drive shaft 27 has uponits periphery an elevation whichat predetermined intervals during the I revolution of the shaft 27 contacts with the roll 163 at the end of the link 161, forcing downward the headed end of, the arm 164, thereby depressing the plunger 153, and its presserfoot 154. This action takes place at the moment one of the holders 23 has reached a point directly in alignment with The bottom of the bracket 156 is slightly inclined downwardly in the direction of the travel of the holders 23, and secured to this inclined bottom by bolts 168, or otherwise,is

a fiat plate 169 similarly inclined for a pre determined distance from which point it terminates in an upwardly inclined direction as at 170. At the momentthat the screw-" ing of a'cap upon the ne k of abottle is started as just described, t e geared end of the shaft within the holder carrying such cap is closely adjacent the end of the downwardly inclined portion of the plate 169, so

that beforethe presser, foot 154 rises by the EXPELIISIOI! ofqthespring 155 after the 811- larged portion of the cam i167 movesofi the roll. 163, the ball 143 atthe top ofthe shaft r in contact at that time with such presser foot. is carried under the downwardly inclined surface of. theplate 169, and'during its travel thereunder the caphas been completely screwed down overthe neck ofthe bottle, so that when the holder reaches the upwardly inclined end 170 of the plate 169,

the cap is released from the grasp of the segmental ring 141, which is then elevated with the throat member 139 above the capped bottle by the expansion of the springs 127 and 134. l l ,1 .1

The 0 eration just described is most clearly il ustrated in Fig. 8. of the drawings, the brokenllines showing the relative 1 positions of the members at the time the screwing of a'cap uponthe neck of a bottle is begun, and the full lines. the position of such parts after the cap has been fully at tached to the bottle and released from the grasp of the segmental ring. y y

The bottles thus capped are carried by the turntable until they reachthe disk 171' fixed to a vertical shaft 172, mounted in. suitable bearings supported by theframe of the machine, which shaft is rotated counter clockwise by any suitable means. The

. capped bottles as they are delivered from the turn table upon the disk 1.71, are carried by it to and upon: the conveyor. 61,being guided by theicurved gugide r'ail173, The capped bottles maybe taken from the conveyor byfhand, or carried to a table or any suitable receptacle.

The machine in. its entirety includes means. for applying-labels to the bottles as they are carriedaround upon the turn table and between the times that a cap has been picked up by one of the gripper members 141 and before it is screwed upon the neck of a bottle,

ing arm 176 is pivotallyconnected at its upper endby a pivot pin 177 to the upper end of an upright 178 fixed to the frame of the machine.v The u per end of the arm 176 is curved and exten sdownwardly at an inclination, and has .pivotally connected to its lower end a roll 179 which normally contacts with a revolving glue roller 180 sup.- ported' in a glue receptacle 181 seated upon abracket 182 fixed to the frame of the machine. l i l y 1 Another arm 183 is pivotally connected at one end to the pivotedend of the arm 176,

and extends therefrom in a slightly upward y i y p y I i A label holder .174 is connected to one end of an arm or bracket 175, fixed at its other end to the frame of the machine. Aswingpin 187. This arm is sli htly inclin of the machine.

roll 185. At the end of the arm 183 beyond the branch 184, a downwardly projecting arm 186 is pivotally connected by a ivotoutwardly and its lower en is pivotally'corn nected by a pivot pin 188 with one end of a short link 189, the other end of which is pivotally connected to a lug 190 upon a swgilnging trough 1.91, bifurcated at its lower en The pivot pin 188 extends from the fixed end of the bracket 175, so that the link 189 and trough 191 turn upon such pivot pin; A spiral spring 192' is connected at one end to-a pin 193, projecting from the arm 186 and its other end is connected to the frame A cam 194 is fixed upon the drive shaft 27 and during the revolution of suchshaft acts intermittently upon the roll 185, to lift the arm 183 which swings the arm 176 away from the glueroller m; the same time forcing down the arm 186 against the action of the spring 192 which turns the link 189 thereby also turnin the trou 191, at its pivoted end carrying its ot er end upwardly, in which movement the roll 179 carried by the swinging arm 17 6 rides over the forked end of the trough spreading glue thereon, the continued upward movement of the trough brings such glued surface direct-' 1y under the label holder 174, causing thelowermost label in the holder to adhere to the bifurcated end of the trough upon which the glue hasbeen spread. At this moment the cam 194 passes-0E the roll when the parts are drawn back to their normal position by the contraction ofthe sprin 192.

This return action takes place at e time one of the bottles is approaching the lower end of the trough 191 and as the bottle passes through the opening in the lower end of the trough it comes in contact with the glued label adhering thereto carrying the label away from the trougll;3 the label at the 1 same time sticking to the ttle upon which it may be wiped or smoothed otherwise if neoessa It Will'be seen from the foregoing description that the invention relates essentially to applying screw threaded caps to bottles hav-' ing threaded necks, and comprises rotating mechanism for picking up one cap at a time, carrying it forward in alignment with a traveling bottle, screwing it upon the threaded neck of the bottle; means for feeding the caps one at a time at predetermined intervals, and means for preventing the feeding of the caps when no bottle is being carried from the conveyor to the turntable.

While I have particularly described the apparatus as employed for capping bottles, it will be obvious that it is equally available for applying covers to other characters of by hand or containers provided with threaded necks, such as fruit 'jars or metallic cans or receptacles.

I claim as my invention:

1. In bottle capping apparatus, a vertical rotary shaft, a plurality of tubular holders, a hub fixed to said shaft and provided with spaced projecting arms to the free ends of whichsaid holders are secured, capping mechanism carried by said holders, means for rotating said cappi mechanism during the rotation of said she a turn table provided with a hub fixed to said shaft, s bottle engaging members fixed to the turn table in alignment with said capping mechanism, a platform, means for feeding the caps to the platform, means for conveyi the cnpsto sition to be received by the capping mec anisrn, and a resilient member contacting with the caps at such 2. In bottle ca pin apparatus, a vertical rotaryshaft, a p urai t}; a hub fixed to said sha and provided with spaced projectin arms to the'free ends of which said hol ers are secured, capping mechanism carried by said holders, means for rotating said capping mechanism during the rotation of said shift, a turn table provided with a hub fixed to said shaft, bottle engaging members fixed to the turn table in alignment withsaid cappi mechanism, a platform, means for f ing the caps to t e platform, means for arresting the movement of the on 3; In bottle capping apparatus, a vertical rotary shaft, a plurality of tubular holders,

a hub fixed to said shaft and provided with,

armsto the free ends ofspaced projectin which said he ers are secured, capping mechanism carried said holders, means for rotating said cappi mechanism during the rotation of said shlo t, a turn table provided with a hub fixed to said shaft, bottle engaging members fixed to the'turn table in alignmentwith said eappi mechanism, a latform, means for fee ing the caps to t e platform, means for'arresting the movement of the caps, means for releasing the caps therefrom and conveying than to position to be' received by the capping mechanism, and a risilient member contacting with the caps at each point.

4. In a pemtus for up ing bottles having three d necks, the tical shaft, 1; support for the nme,meus for rotating said shaft, a plurality of tubular holders, a hub fixed to the shaft provided with spaced arms to the free ends of which said holders are secured, a stationary rack surrounding said shaft, 1 plunger in each of said holders, a geared head connected to etch plunger and meshing withsaid rack. e

of tubular hoiders,

, and means for re leasing the caps there em and conveyinginution of a ver coiled spring surrounding each plunger for returning it to its initial position, a throat member secured to the bottom of each plungmembers fixed to said turn table in alignment with said throat member, a platform, means for feeding the caps to the platform, and means for conveying the caps to posit on to be received by said segmental rings.

5. In apparatus for capping bottles having threaded neck-s, the com ination of a vertical shaft, a support for the same, means for rotating said shaft, a pluralityof tubular holders, a hub fixed to the shaft provided with spaced arms to the free ends of which said holders are secured, a stationary geared rack surrounding said shaft, a plunger in each of said holders, a coiled spring surrounding each plunger for returning it to an initial position, a throat member secured to the bottom of each plunger exterior of the holders, a spring pressed segmental ring within each ofsaid throat members, a geared head connected to each plunger and meshing with said rack, a platform, means for feed ing the caps to the platform, a pusher for moving the caps to position in alignment with said throat members, a ball within a semicircular recess in the top of each geared head, a fixed cam bracket acting upon said balls to depress the plunger-s and throat members whereby the caps are picked up by said segmental rings, a turn table provided with a hub fixed to said vertical shaft, and

spaced bottle engaging members fixed to the turn table in alignment with said throat members.

6. In an apparatus for capping bottles having threaded necks, the combination of a vertical shaft, 2. support for the same, means for rotating said shaft, a plurality of tubular holders, a hub fixed to the shaft provided with spaced arms to the free ends of which said holders are secured, a stationary rack surrounding said shaft, a plunger in each of said holders, a geared head connected to each plunger and meshing with said rack, 21 ball within a semi-circular recess in the top of each geared head, a throat member secured to the bottom of each plunger exterior of the holder, a spring pressed segmental ring within each of thethroat members, a. turn table provided with a hub fixed to said vertical shaft, spaced bottle engaging members fixed to said turn table in alignment with said throat members, a platform, means for feeding the caps to the platform, a pusher for moving the caps to osition in alignment with said throat mem'ers, a fixed cam acting upon said balls to depress said plungers and throat members whereby the caps are picked up by the se nen'tal rings, a housing,

a fixed support for t ie same, a plunger within said housing, a presser foot secured to the lower end of such plunger exterior of the liousin means for depressing the plunger in the dxousing so that the pi'esser foot contacts with the balls in the respective geared heads successively depressing the picked-up caps over the tops of the bottles, and a fixed cam with which said balls come into contact, whereby the caps are screwed upon the bottles while said heads are passing under said cam.

Signed by me this 28th day of May 1923.

CHARLES A. ALEXANDERSON. 

